It seems the wait was for this pretext, which is why they were rushing out with such haste. It appears Gu Beichen has learned to be a bit smarter now; this way, in dealing with Murong Jinyun, he still has a few chances of winning.
"Really…" Cai Qing asked somewhat incredulously, a wave of self-blame rising in her heart.
"Sister Cai Qing, Young Madam is telling the truth. This matter was never something you could have prevented, and you don't need to blame yourself anymore. Moreover, you've already done very well. Didn't you just hold back the Western Liang princess by yourself for so long? If it weren't for you, she would have rushed straight into our courtyard."
Chu Qing was trying to comfort Cai Qing, but she only found pleasant words to say. This indeed made Cai Qing feel much better, and her sense of self-blame dissipated somewhat.
A smile gradually spread across her lips: "If that's the case, I feel much more at ease. Young Madam, don't worry, I absolutely won't let them disturb you again. If there's someone you don't want to see, I'll block them for you, even if it costs me my life."
Cai Qing patted her chest and guaranteed it with such earnestness that it thoroughly amused Feng Jin.
"Alright, with you blocking them, wouldn't you be pushed over with just one shove? I wouldn't dare let you go. You'd better stay inside and busy yourself with your embroidery needle."
"Young Madam…" Being teased, Cai Qing pouted, her tone laced with a hint of shyness.
Feng Jin stretched lazily and then yawned. Suddenly, a wave of sleepiness hit her. "I need to go back for another nap. You two go check on Dabao and Erbao later. Be sure not to forget that the old master's people will take them away."
Once they were taken away, it would be difficult to bring them back. She already regretted agreeing to let the old master have the two children visit him every evening. In such a short time, how spoiled had the children become?
This time, she was determined. For the sake of the children, she could only afford to offend Elder Master Ling.
It would be much better than bringing the children back to be taught after they had become utterly spoiled.
"Yes, Young Madam!" The two replied in unison.
Feng Jin continued to caution them a couple more times before finally feeling at ease. Only then did she get up and walk back inside to continue her nap.
...
"Why are you pulling me out in such a hurry? I still wanted to say a few more words to Young Madam. We get along so well..."
Murong Jinyun's beautiful eyes glared coquettishly at Gu Beichen. Before she could finish speaking, he had brought her out without any explanation.
She couldn't reveal her martial arts skills at the moment, so she could only follow behind him as they walked out. She didn't even try to break free, and it was only after they left the mansion that she began to ask Gu Beichen why he had done this.
Gu Beichen's eyes flickered, his mind working rapidly. A plausible excuse finally emerged in his mind: "I was worried about you. You have no idea how wicked Feng Jin is. Her wicked schemes are too numerous to count. I've suffered losses at her hands more than once. I was worried about you, which is why I hastily brought you out."
"I never expected you to suffer losses at the hands of a girl. That's truly unimaginable!" Murong Jinyun chuckled, covering her mouth.
Realizing that Murong Jinyun had believed his words, Gu Beichen secretly breathed a sigh of relief. His expression remained as usual, showing no flaws whatsoever.
"Yes, that Feng Jin is simply the bane of my existence. I've suffered losses at her hands many times. She's not like a woman at all; her wicked schemes are truly indescribable. She's always trying to find ways to torment me. You should stay away from her in the future; I'm worried you'll suffer a loss."
Gu Beichen held Murong Jinyun's hand, his eyes filled with tender affection. For a moment, even he couldn't distinguish his feelings for Murong Jinyun, whether the deep affection he was displaying was genuine or false.
Made shy by his gaze, a flush spread across Murong Jinyun's fair skin. She quickly withdrew her hand and turned away: "I am the Princess of Western Liang. Even if she considers my identity, she wouldn't do anything to me..."
"However... now that you say this, I am truly eager to have a good chat with the Young Madam of the Ling family. I want to ask her how she torments you, so I can learn from her. That way, I can better keep you firmly by my side."
"You don't need to learn anymore because you've already tied me firmly to your side. I haven't seen you these past few days, and I haven't been able to eat or sleep. The imperial physician said... I have symptoms of lovesickness..."
Gu Beichen reached out and drew Murong Jinyun into his embrace. His sweet words flowed out as if they had been rehearsed in his heart, coming forth with ease, like composing poetry.
Murong Jinyun leaned softly against his chest, listening to the steady, powerful beat of his heart. The bits and pieces of her time spent with Gu Beichen flashed through her mind.
However, her father's instructions also surfaced, and the two sets of thoughts waged a constant battle in her mind. For a moment, she couldn't make a decision and had to forcibly suppress these thoughts, controlling herself not to dwell on them. Only then did her mind find a brief moment of clarity.
"What's wrong? Your face is so pale. Are you feeling unwell?"
Seeing Murong Jinyun's extremely pale face at this moment, Gu Beichen asked with concern.
A slightly bitter smile tugged at Murong Jinyun's lips as she shook her head. "I'm fine... It's probably because I've been rehearsing the wedding ceremony these past few days without enough rest, and I'm a bit too tired."
"Didn't I tell you long ago that you need to rest well? I'm here for everything; you don't need to worry too much. I will arrange all these matters."
"I don't know yet... This is a joyous occasion for both of us, so I naturally want to review every detail. Only when everything is arranged can I feel at ease. Soon, I will marry you and become your bride. No matter how tired I am, I am happy."
Gu Beichen listened quietly to Murong Jinyun's words, a slightly bitter smile playing on his lips.
He didn't say anything more, but simply took Murong Jinyu's hand and said calmly, "Let's go back."
With that, he pulled Murong Jinyun's hand and started walking forward. Inside, his heart was filled with a mix of emotions, and he forcefully restrained the urge to rush forward and question Murong Jinyun.
Murong Jinyun's heart was also filled with complex emotions. She didn't know what choice she should make next.